In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Their Minds Are Similar!

It is God's system to place those who choose disbelief (atheists, idol worshipers or hypocrites) in the spotlight and to expose their behavior and traits to the believers. God must sift away the bad from the good (3:166-167, 6:112-113, 22:52-53). This sifting process and exposure raise the believers' awareness towards them so that they could treat them properly (9:42-51, 63:1-8). Their exposure is accomplished by teaching the believers how they usually act and respond to different calls in different situations. The disbelievers' choices and actions are also kept in an accurate record that will serve as a testimony against them on the Day of Judgment (18:49, 20:125-126, 24:24, 41:21).

Among the powerful educational tools to learn about them and expose their hidden motives and true convictions is that they are often quoted in Quran. Such quotes represent how they think and reason. They are samples of what they usually say when they debate with or respond to the believers' invitations of faith. That, again, is a teaching demonstration from the Almighty to recognize them, understand their flawed logic and learn how to refute their claims and deal with their schemes according to God's teachings.

It is always fascinating to notice an unchangeable pattern in their utterances throughout the generations irrespective of the huge gaps between the various civilizations and the rapidly growing knowledge in technology and science. Quran cites their repeated utterances since Adam and gives us a glimpse at what they will continue to say until the Day of Judgment. After many centuries since the the revelation of Quran, we still detect the same exact pattern and hear the same exact words of disbelief on a daily basis. This is because the real intelligence is to recognize God and to heed His guidance (13:19, 34:6, 3:18, 4:162, 61:11, 38:29, 2:269, 14:52). If we fail, our words of disbelief would not sound any different whether we are on camel's back or in a space shuttle to the moon! God tells us that the disbelievers' minds are similar!

[2:118] Those who possess no knowledge say, "If only God could speak to us, or some miracle could come to us!" Others before them have uttered similar utterances; their minds are similar. We do manifest the miracles for those who have attained certainty.

Please examine the following words uttered by them and recognize their mentalities. Please note how we encounter the same exact words every day. Please heed God's comments and recommendations so that we might benefit them or save our own souls:

[25:60] When they are told, "Fall prostrate before the Most Gracious," they say, "What is the Most Gracious? Shall we prostrate before what you advocate?" Thus, it only augments their aversion.

[27:71] They say, "When will that promise come to pass, if you are truthful?"
[27:72] Say, "You are already suffering some of the retribution you challenge."

[6:29] They say (subconsciously), "We live only this life; we will not be resurrected."

[36:78] He raises a question to us - while forgetting his initial creation - "Who can resurrect the bones after they had rotted?"
[36:79] Say, "The One who initiated them in the first place will resurrect them. He is fully aware of every creation."

[17:49] They said, "After we turn into bones and fragments, we get resurrected anew?!"
[17:50] Say, "Even if you turn into rocks or iron.
[17:51] "Even if you turn into any kind of creation that you deem impossible." They will then say, "Who will bring us back?" Say, "The One who created you in the first place." They will then shake their heads and say, "When will that be?" Say, "It may be closer than you think."

[45:25] When our revelations are recited to them, clearly, their only argument is to say, "Bring back our forefathers, if you are truthful."
[45:26] Say, "God has granted you life, then He puts you to death, then He will summon you to the Day of Resurrection, which is inevitable. But most people do not know."

[46:17] Then there is the one who says to his parents, "Woe to you; are you telling me that (after death) I will come back to life? How come those who died before us never come back?" The parents would cry for God's help and say, "Woe to you; please believe! God's promise is the truth." He would say, "Tales from the past!"
[46:18] Such are the ones stamped as disbelievers among every generation of jinns and humans; they are losers.
[46:19] They all attain the ranks they have deserved, in accordance with their works. He will pay them for their works, without the least injustice.

[45:24] They said, "We only live this life; we live and die and only time causes our death!" They have no sure knowledge about this; they only conjecture.

[8:31] When our revelations are recited to them, they say, "We have heard. If we wanted to, we could have said the same things. These are no more than tales from the past!"

[34:31] Those who disbelieve have said, "We will not believe in this Quran, nor in the previous scriptures." If you could only envision these transgressors when they stand before their Lord! They will argue with one another back and forth. The followers will tell their leaders, "If it were not for you, we would have been believers."

[46:11] Those who disbelieved said about those who believed, "If it were anything good, they would not have accepted it before us." Because they were not guided to it, they said, "This is an old fabrication!"

[25:4] Those who disbelieved said, "This is a fabrication that he produced, with the help of some other people." They have uttered a blasphemy and a falsehood.
[25:5] They also said, "Tales from the past that he wrote down; they were dictated to him day and night."
[25:6] Say, "This was revealed by the One who knows the Secret in the heavens and the earth. He is Forgiving, Most Merciful."

[2:11] When they are told, "Do not commit evil," they say, "But we are righteous!"
[2:12] In fact, they are evildoers, but they do not perceive.
[2:13] When they are told, "Believe like the people who believed," they say, "Shall we believe like the fools who believed?" In fact, it is they who are fools, but they do not know.
[2:14] When they meet the believers, they say, "We believe," but when alone with their devils, they say, "We are with you; we were only mocking."
[2:15] God mocks them, and leads them on in their transgressions, blundering.
[2:16] It is they who bought the straying, at the expense of guidance. Such trade never prospers, nor do they receive any guidance.

[9:107] There are those who abuse the masjid by practicing idol worship, dividing the believers, and providing comfort to those who oppose God and His messenger. They solemnly swear: "Our intentions are honorable!" God bears witness that they are liars.

[2:26] God does not shy away from citing any kind of allegory, from the tiny mosquito and greater. As for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. As for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did God mean by such an allegory?" He misleads many thereby, and guides many thereby. But He never misleads thereby except the wicked,

[74:31] We appointed angels to be guardians of Hell, and we assigned their number (19) (1) to disturb the disbelievers, (2) to convince the Christians and Jews (that this is a divine scripture), (3) to strengthen the faith of the faithful, (4) to remove all traces of doubt from the hearts of Christians, Jews, as well as the believers, and (5) to expose those who harbor doubt in their hearts, and the disbelievers; they will say, "What did God mean by this allegory?" God thus sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is a reminder for the people.

[2:88] Some would say, "Our minds are made up!" Instead, it is a curse from God, as a consequence of their disbelief, that keeps them from believing, except for a few of them.

[2:91] When they are told, "You shall believe in these revelations of God," they say, "We believe only in what was sent down to us." Thus, they disbelieve in subsequent revelations, even if it is the truth from their Lord, and even though it confirms what they have! Say, "Why then did you kill God's prophets, if you were believers?"

[2:111] Some have said, "No one will enter Paradise except Jews or Christians!" Such is their wishful thinking. Say, "Show us your proof, if you are right."

[2:135] They said, "You have to be Jewish or Christian, to be guided." Say, "We follow the religion of Abraham - monotheism - he never was an idol worshiper."
[2:136] Say, "We believe in God, and in what was sent down to us, and in what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and all the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them. To Him alone we are submitters."
[2:139] Say, "Do you argue with us about God, when He is our Lord and your Lord? We are responsible for our deeds, and you are responsible for your deeds. To Him alone we are devoted."
[2:140] Do you say that Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs were Jewish or Christian? Say, "Do you know better than God? Who is more evil than one who conceals a testimony he has learned from God? God is never unaware of anything you do."

[2:170] When they are told, "Follow what God has revealed herein," they say, "We follow only what we found our parents doing." What if their parents did not understand, and were not guided?
[2:171] The example of such disbelievers is that of parrots who repeat what they hear of sounds and calls, without understanding. Deaf, dumb, and blind; they cannot understand.

[7:28] They commit a gross sin, then say, "We found our parents doing this, and God has commanded us to do it." Say, "God never advocates sin. Are you saying about God what you do not know?"
[7:29] Say, "My Lord advocates justice, and to stand devoted to Him alone at every place of worship. You shall devote your worship absolutely to Him alone. Just as He initiated you, you will ultimately go back to Him."

[31:21] When they are told, "Follow these revelations of God," they say, "No, we follow only what we found our parents doing." What if the devil is leading them to the agony of Hell?

[43:23] Invariably, when we sent a warner to any community, the leaders of that community would say, "We found our parents following certain practices, and we will continue in their footsteps."
[43:24] (The messenger) would say, "What if I brought to you better guidance than what you inherited from your parents?" They would say, "We are disbelievers in the message you brought."

[3:72] Some followers of the scripture say, "Believe in what was sent down to the believers in the morning, and reject it in the evening; maybe someday they will revert.
[3:73] "And do not believe except as those who follow your religion." Say, "The true guidance is God's guidance." If they claim that they have the same guidance, or argue with you about your Lord, say, "All grace is in God's hand; He bestows it upon whomever He wills." God is Bounteous, Omniscient.

[3:75] Some followers of the scripture can be trusted with a whole lot, and they will give it back to you. Others among them cannot be trusted with a single dinar; they will not repay you unless you keep after them. That is because they say, "We do not have to be honest when dealing with the gentiles!" Thus, they attribute lies to God, knowingly.

[3:168] They said of their kinsmen, as they stayed behind, "Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent your own death, if you are truthful."

[4:72] Surely, there are those among you who would drag their feet, then, if a setback afflicts you, they would say, "God has blessed me that I was not martyred with them."
[4:73] But if you attain a blessing from God, they would say, as if no friendship ever existed between you and them, "I wish I was with them, so I could share in such a great victory."

[4:77] Have you noted those who were told, "You do not have to fight; all you need to do is observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat)," then, when fighting was decreed for them, they feared the people as much as they feared God, or even more? They said, "Our Lord, why did You force this fighting on us? If only You respite us for awhile!" Say, "The materials of this world are nil, while the Hereafter is far better for the righteous, and you never suffer the slightest injustice."
[4:78] Wherever you are, death will catch up with you, even if you live in formidable castles. When something good happens to them, they say, "This is from God," and when something bad afflicts them, they blame you. Say, "Everything comes from God." Why do these people misunderstand almost everything?

[4:141] They watch you and wait; if you attain victory from God, they say (to you), "Were we not with you?" But if the disbelievers get a turn, they say (to them), "Did we not side with you, and protect you from the believers?" God will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection. God will never permit the disbelievers to prevail over the believers.

[4:150] Those who disbelieve in God and His messengers, and seek to make distinction among God and His messengers, and say, "We believe in some and reject some," and wish to follow a path in between;

[5:17] Pagans indeed are those who say that God is the Messiah, the son of Mary. Say, "Who could oppose God if He willed to annihilate the Messiah, son of Mary, and his mother, and everyone on earth?" To God belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them. He creates whatever He wills. God is Omnipotent.
[5:18] The Jews and the Christians said, "We are God's children and His beloved." Say, "Why then does He punish you for your sins? You are just humans like the other humans He created." He forgives whomever He wills and punishes whomever He wills. To God belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, and to Him is the final destiny.

[5:72] Pagans indeed are those who say that God is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah himself said, "O Children of Israel, you shall worship God; my Lord and your Lord." Anyone who sets up any idol beside God, God has forbidden Paradise for him, and his destiny is Hell. The wicked have no helpers.
[5:73] Pagans indeed are those who say that God is a third of a trinity. There is no god except the one god. Unless they refrain from saying this, those who disbelieve among them will incur a painful retribution.
[5:74] Would they not repent to God, and ask His forgiveness? God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
[5:75] The Messiah, son of Mary, is no more than a messenger like the messengers before him, and his mother was a saint. Both of them used to eat the food. Note how we explain the revelations for them, and note how they still deviate!
[5:76] Say, "Would you worship beside God powerless idols who can neither harm you, nor benefit you? God is Hearer, Omniscient."
[5:77] Say, "O people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of your religion beyond the truth, and do not follow the opinions of people who have gone astray, and have misled multitudes of people; they are far astray from the right path."

[6:37] They said, "If only a certain sign could come down to him from his Lord!" Say, "God is able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know."

[7:203] If you do not produce a miracle that they demand, they say, "Why not ask for it?" Say, "I simply follow what is revealed to me from my Lord." These are enlightenments from your Lord, and guidance, and mercy for people who believe.

[6:109] They swore by God, solemnly, that if a miracle came to them, they would surely believe. Say, "Miracles come only from God." For all you know, if a miracle did come to them, they would continue to disbelieve.

[6:124] When a powerful proof comes to them, they say, "We will not believe, unless we are given what is given to God's messengers!" God knows exactly who is best qualified to deliver His message. Such criminals will suffer debasement at God, and terrible retribution as a consequence of their evil scheming.

[10:20] They say, "How come no miracle came down to him from his Lord?" Say, "The future belongs to God; so wait, and I am waiting along with you."

[13:7] Those who disbelieved say, "If only a miracle could come down to him from his Lord (we will then believe)." You are simply a warner - every community receives a guiding teacher.

[29:50] They said, "If only miracles could come down to him from his Lord!" Say, "All miracles come only from God; I am no more than a manifest warner."

[13:27] Those who disbelieve would say, "If only a miracle could come down to him from his Lord (we would believe)." Say, "God sends astray whomever He wills, and guides to Him only those who obey."

[11:12] You may wish to disregard some of that which is revealed to you, and you may be annoyed by it. Also, they may say, "How come no treasure comes down to him, or an angel?" You are only a warner; God controls all things.

[25:21] Those who do not expect to meet us said, "If only the angels could come down to us, or we could see our Lord (we would then believe)!" Indeed, they have committed a gross arrogance, and have produced a gross blasphemy.

[6:91] They never valued God as He should be valued. Thus, they said, "God does not reveal anything to any human being." Say, "Who then revealed the scripture that Moses brought, with light and guidance for the people?" You put it down on paper to proclaim it, while concealing a lot of it. You were taught what you never knew - you and your parents. Say, "God (is the One who revealed it)," then leave them in their heedlessness, playing.

[9:49] Some of them would say, "Give me permission (to stay behind); do not impose such a hardship on me." In fact, they have thus incurred a terrible hardship; Hell is surrounding the disbelievers.
[9:50] If something good happens to you, they hurt, and if an affliction befalls you, they say, "We told you so," as they turn away rejoicing.
[9:51] Say, "Nothing happens to us, except what God has decreed for us. He is our Lord and Master. In God the believers shall trust."
[9:52] Say, "You can only expect for us one of two good things (victory or martyrdom), while we expect for you condemnation from God and retribution from Him, or at our hands. Therefore, wait, and we will wait along with you."
[9:53] Say, "Spend, willingly or unwillingly. Nothing will be accepted from you, for you are evil people."

[9:86] When a sura is revealed, stating: "Believe in God, and strive with His messenger," even the strong among them say, "Let us stay behind!"

[9:124] When a sura was revealed, some of them would say, "Did this sura strengthen the faith of anyone among you?" Indeed, it did strengthen the faith of those who believed, and they rejoice in any revelation.

[47:16] Some of them listen to you, then as soon as they leave they ask those who were enlightened, "What did he just say?" God thus seals their hearts and, consequently, they follow only their opinions.

[10:15] When our revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet us say, "Bring a Quran other than this, or change it!" Say, "I cannot possibly change it on my own. I simply follow what is revealed to me. I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the retribution of an awesome day."

[10:38] If they say, "He fabricated it," say, "Then produce one sura like these, and invite whomever you wish, other than God, if you are truthful."
[11:13] If they say, "He fabricated (the Quran)," tell them, "Then produce ten suras like these, fabricated, and invite whomever you can, other than God, if you are truthful."
[10:18] They worship beside God idols that possess no power to harm them or benefit them, and they say, "These are our intercessors at God!" Say, "Are you informing God of something He does not know in the heavens or the earth?" Be He glorified. He is the Most High; far above needing partners.

[16:35] The idol worshipers say, "Had God willed, we would not worship any idols besides Him, nor would our parents. Nor would we prohibit anything besides His prohibitions." Those before them have done the same. Can the messengers do anything but deliver the complete message?

[39:3] Absolutely, the religion shall be devoted to God alone. Those who set up idols beside Him say, "We idolize them only to bring us closer to God; for they are in a better position!" God will judge them regarding their disputes. God does not guide such liars, disbelievers.

[11:8] And if we delay the retribution they have incurred - for we reserve it for a specific community - they say, "What is keeping Him?" In fact, once it comes to them, nothing can stop it, and their mocking will come back to haunt them.

[17:94] What prevented the people from believing when the guidance came to them, is their saying, "Did God send a human being as a messenger?"

[44:14] But they turned away from him, saying, "Well educated, but crazy!"

[52:30] They may say, "He is a poet; let us just wait until he is dead."

[52:33] Do they say, "He made it all up?" Instead, they are simply disbelievers.

[68:51] Those who disbelieved show their ridicule in their eyes when they hear the message and say, "He is crazy!"

[10:2] Is it too much of a wonder for the people that we inspired a man like them? He (was inspired to say), "You shall warn the people, and give good news to those who believe that they have attained a position of prominence at their Lord." The disbelievers said, "This is a clever magician!"

[25:7] And they said, "How come this messenger eats the food and walks in the markets? If only an angel could come down with him, to serve with him as a preacher!"

[6:53] We thus test the people by each other, to let them say (mockingly), "Are these the people among us who are blessed by God?" Is God not aware of the appreciative ones?

[19:73] When our revelations are recited to them, clearly, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of us is more prosperous? Which of us is in the majority?"

[26:111] They said, "How can we believe with you, when the worst among us have followed you?"

[30:58] Thus, we have cited for the people in this Quran all kinds of examples. Yet, no matter what kind of proof you present to the disbelievers, they say, "You are falsifiers."

[36:47] When they are told, "Give from God's provisions to you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Why should we give to those whom God could feed, if He so willed? You are really far astray."

[37:167] They used to say,
[37:168] "Had we received the correct instructions from our parents,
[37:169] "we would have been worshipers; devoted to God alone."
[37:170] But they disbelieved, and they will surely find out.

[43:17] When one of them is given news (of a daughter) as they claimed for the Most Gracious, his face is darkened with misery and anger!
[43:18] (They say,) "What is good about an offspring that is brought up to be beautiful, and cannot help in war?"

[63:1] When the hypocrites come to you they say, "We bear witness that you are the messenger of God." God knows that you are His messenger, and God bears witness that the hypocrites are liars.

[63:7] They are the ones who say, "Do not give any money to those who followed the messenger of God, perhaps they abandon him!" However, God possesses the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not comprehend.
[63:8] They say, "If we go back to the city, the powerful therein will evict the weak (and we will be victimized)." (They should know that) all dignity belongs to God and His messenger, and the believers. However, the hypocrites do not know.

[2:55] Recall that you said, "O Moses, we will not believe unless we see God, physically." Consequently, the lightning struck you, as you looked.

[2:80] Some have said, "Hell will not touch us, except for a limited number of days." Say, "Have you taken such a pledge from God - God never breaks His pledge - or, are you saying about God what you do not know?

[3:167] And to expose the hypocrites who were told, "Come fight in the cause of God, or contribute." They said, "If we knew how to fight, we would have joined you." They were closer to disbelief then than they were to belief. They uttered with their mouths what was not in their hearts. God knows what they conceal.
[3:168] They said of their kinsmen, as they stayed behind, "Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent your own death, if you are truthful."

[41:44] If we made it a non-Arabic Quran they would have said, "Why did it come down in that language?" Whether it is Arabic or non-Arabic, say, "For those who believe, it is a guide and healing. As for those who disbelieve, they will be deaf and blind to it, as if they are being addressed from faraway."

[25:32] Those who disbelieved said, "Why did not the Quran come through him all at once?" We have released it to you gradually, in order to fix it in your memory. We have recited it in a specific sequence.
[25:33] Whatever argument they come up with, we provide you with the truth, and a better understanding.

Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.

Whenever you want to pursue the truth and verify anything you hear about Islam, we urge you to please use the only valid and divine source of Islam, Quran.